Carmelo Anthony is ready to play (Olympic) ball…
The United States men’s Olympic basketball team is taking shape, with the 32-year-old half-Puerto Rican basketball star among the players committed to representing the U.S. at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Anthony has been a member of the United States Olympic men’s national team three times, winning a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics and gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. In 2012, Anthony set the USA men’s Olympic team record for most points in a single game when he scored 37 points against Nigeria.
In addition to Anthony, DeAndre Jordan, Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson and Toronto Raptors teammates Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have committed to representing the U.S.
Meanwhile, LeBron James confirmed Thursday that he won’t be a part of it.
Anthony has a chance to become the first men’s basketball player to win three Olympic gold medals.
USA Basketball will officially announce its 12-man roster for Rio next week.
Anthony said last month that he was unsure whether he’d play, in part because of concerns over the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne illness affecting Brazil. Other Olympics athletes have expressed concern over the virus.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski and his staff will hold a four-day training camp in Las Vegas from July 18 to July 21, and then the team will play five exhibition games, starting July 22 against Argentina and ending August 1 against Nigeria.
The Olympic basketball tournament will take place Aug. 6-21 in Rio de Janeiro.